History of Flight
On August 27, 2014, at approximately 0850 central daylight time, a Cessna A188B, registration N5850G, collided with high-voltage power lines and terrain while conducting aerial application operations near Middleton, Tennessee. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 137 rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight had originated at Bolivar, Tennessee (M08) at 0724.
The pilot was applying chemical to a soybean field at the time of the accident. There were no witnesses. The airplane struck power lines approximately 20 feet above ground, severing about half of the right wing. It then hit the ground and came to rest in a wooded area adjacent to the field.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The accident aircraft was a 1973-model Cessna A188B, a low-wing, fixed landing gear, tailwheel-equipped airplane. It was powered by a Continental IO-520-FcD engine rated at 285 horsepower at 2,700 rpm, driving a McCauley D2A34C two-bladed constant-speed propeller. The airplane was owned by the pilot, who also performed maintenance as an airframe and powerplant mechanic. Maintenance records were not located after the accident.
The pilot, aged 73, held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land ratings. On his latest FAA second-class medical application (June 12, 2014), he reported 5,370 total flight hours. His personal logbooks were not recovered.
Meteorological Information
At 0853, about two minutes post-accident, the surface observation from McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (Jackson, Tennessee, 25 nautical miles north) reported clear skies, calm wind, visibility 10 statute miles or greater, temperature 26°C, dew point 22°C, and altimeter setting 30.10 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The power line strike occurred at coordinates 35°10'57.16"N, 088°53'45.38"W. The severed outboard half of the right wing was found beneath the lines. The debris path, oriented on a 030° heading, extended about 285 feet, ending with the engine and propeller. The engine broke from its mounts and came to rest 70–80 feet beyond the main wreckage. Tree limbs with smooth, 45-degree cuts were present along the debris field.
Flight control cable continuity was established for elevators and rudder; aileron cables showed multiple overload separations. The elevator trim indicator was near full nose-up; the flap handle was retracted. The fuel tank was breached and contained blue fuel that tested negative for water contamination.
Engine examination revealed impact damage primarily to the front and bottom. All six cylinders remained attached. Both magnetos produced sparks when hand-rotated. Spark plugs showed normal wear. The fuel pump drive coupling was intact and operated normally. Fuel injectors were clear. The throttle body and fuel manifold valve had no anomalies apart from impact damage. Hand rotation of the crankshaft confirmed compression and suction on all cylinders; internal continuity and valve/rocker operation were normal. Borescope inspection revealed normal operating signatures.
The propeller remained attached to the flange. One blade showed twisting deformation and polished leading edge/tip; the other was bent aft, twisted, and had gouges on the trailing edge.
A Garmin GPSMAP 76 portable GPS was recovered and its data downloaded. It recorded 16 sessions from August 23 to September 2, 2014. The accident flight was recorded from 12:24:47 UTC to 13:51:09 UTC on August 27. Data parameters included date, time, latitude, longitude, and GPS altitude. The flight departed M08 at approximately 0724 and flew multiple passes over a field west of the accident site. At 0850:34, the airplane was in level flight on a northerly heading at 111 knots ground speed and about 472 feet GPS altitude when it crossed the east-west power line. Ground elevation at the power line was about 363 feet. The GPS may have continued recording after the accident due to battery life.
Medical and Pathological Information
A postmortem examination was performed on August 28, 2014. The autopsy listed the cause of death as "Multiple blunt force injuries" and the manner as "Accident." The autopsy found moderate coronary atherosclerosis with 50–60% narrowing in the left anterior descending artery and 50% in the right coronary artery, without evidence of fresh clot or recent heart attack. Diffuse atherosclerosis was noted in brain vessels with no significant acute findings.
Forensic toxicology (FAA CAMI) was negative for carbon monoxide in blood and ethanol in urine; cyanide was not tested. Amlodipine was detected in liver, blood, and urine; hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene were detected in urine and blood. According to the FAA, these medications are not necessarily hazards but require disclosure. The pilot did not declare any medications on his latest medical application.